Tuesday Treats: Strawberry Shortcake with Fresh Lemon Curd

Hello Friends!  The strawberries are ripe and ready to pick.  I adore strawberries and have such fond memories of picking them off the vine when I was a little girl on my grandmothers farm!  They were warm from the sun and so sweet.  The juice would drip down my chin and make me all pink and sticky!  They were the most delicious berries on earth and since we are in the full swing of summer, and strawberry season, I thought I’d share a recipe today that is one of our favorites.   Although this recipe is fairly traditional,  I kick it up a notch by adding the most luscious homemade lemon cud.   It has several steps, but each step ensures that you will have the best shortcake you’ve ever eaten. 

Contrary to popular belief, shortcake is not yellow and in the form of a spongy little cup! (Although I’ve been known to eat those little cups on occasion.)  Traditional shortcake is very similar to an English scone.  It has a biscuit-like texture and it is not overly sweet. The sweetest is achieved through the strawberry and whipped cream layers.  Shortcake is not overstated or fancy,  but perfectly simple, and that’s what makes it the most wonderful end to any meal.

If you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you!   As always, I hope you enjoy this recipe which is a beautiful little taste of summer!  That’s, today’s dish! 

xoxo Deb

 

Deb’s Strawberry Shortcake:

Fruit:

• 8 cups (about 2 1/2 pounds) of strawberries hulled
• 1/4-1/2 cup of sugar (adjust amount to your liking and the natural sweetness of your berries)

Place three cups of hulled strawberries in a bowl and crush them with a potato masher. Slice the remaining five cups of strawberries and stir them into the mashed berries.  Mix the sugar into the berries and set aside.  They should macerate for at least 30 minutes.

Shortcakes:

• 2 cups flour
• 5 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted, cut into cubes
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup half and half, plus a few tablespoons
• Turbinado sugar (raw sugar) for sprinkling on top

Adjust your oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together to combine. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 15 1-second pulses. Transfer to a medium bowl.  Mix the beaten egg and the half and half together and add it to the flour mixture.  Combine with a rubber spatula until a large clump forms.  If it’s too dry add more half and half,  1 tablespoon at a time.   Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and lightly knead it until it comes together.  Pat the dough into a 9 by 6 inch rectangle about 3/4 inch thick.  Using a 2 3/4 inch round biscuit cutter cut out 6 dough rounds.  Place the rounds 1-inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Brush the tops of each biscuit with half and half and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.  *cooks note:  If you do not have a food processor, all of this can be done by hand.  Bake for 12-14 minutes until the shortcakes are golden.  Cool them on a wire rack.

 

 

Lemon Curd:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup boiling water
• 4 egg yolks -lightly beaten
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 tsp almond extract-optional

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium pan .  Whisk in 1 cup of boiling water.  Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the sugar and cornstarch dissolve (about 2 minutes).  Gradually whisk about 1/3 of the hot sugar mixture into the egg yolks, then add the egg yolks back into the remaining hot sugar mixture in the sauce pan, whisking constantly.  Whisk in the lemon juice and zest. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and almond extract. Let cool completely, stirring on occasion. 

Whipped Cream:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/3-1/2 cup sugar (granulated or powdered)

Beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form gradually adding in the sugar.  Adjust the sweetness to your preference.

Slice a shortcake in half.  Layer a spoonful of the lemon curd, a generous scoop of the strawberries, and a large dollop of fresh whipped cream.  Top it with the other half of the shortcake.  ENJOY! 

My son decided to double up on his shortcake toppings!